Rich Cousin, Poor Cousin - What Controls the Formation and Size of Orogenic Gold Deposits? What are the geological and geochemical factors that control the formation and size of gold deposits in Phanerozoic mountain belts (?orogens?)? The answer to this question lies in a combination of methods we will use to establish the importance of source, absolute timing of mineralisation, genetic links to magmas, and geochemical processes that result in the transport, and deposition of gold in three separ ....Rich Cousin, Poor Cousin - What Controls the Formation and Size of Orogenic Gold Deposits? What are the geological and geochemical factors that control the formation and size of gold deposits in Phanerozoic mountain belts (?orogens?)? The answer to this question lies in a combination of methods we will use to establish the importance of source, absolute timing of mineralisation, genetic links to magmas, and geochemical processes that result in the transport, and deposition of gold in three separate, geologically young orogens. The wider implications of this research include a greatly improved understanding of lesser known Phanerozoic orogenic gold provinces, ore genesis at convergent plate margins, and the formation of gold deposits in older terrains.Read moreRead less
Hydrogen generation by subsurface iron mineral transformations. Aim
The aim of this project is to elucidate key factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments.
Significance
Large amounts of this valuable resource are produced naturally with estimates of production rates of this “gold” hydrogen at least 100 times the annual demand for this critical resource.
Expected Outcomes
Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive ....Hydrogen generation by subsurface iron mineral transformations. Aim
The aim of this project is to elucidate key factors responsible for natural hydrogen generation in Australian subsurface environments.
Significance
Large amounts of this valuable resource are produced naturally with estimates of production rates of this “gold” hydrogen at least 100 times the annual demand for this critical resource.
Expected Outcomes
Based on improved understanding of the source of natural hydrogen, predictive tools will be developed that will assist in assessing the viability in Australia of hydrogen exploration and engineered retrieval.
Benefits
Ready access to naturally produced hydrogen could enable Australia to replace hydrogen that is currently generated via the use of unabated hydrocarbons.Read moreRead less
Molecular fossils, environmental genomics and the natural history of an Australian salt lake. Increasing salinity of lakes is a critical problem for sustainable water supply in Australia. To comprehend the consequences of human-induced salinization, it is crucial to understand salt lakes at their most fundamental level. This project develops pioneering technologies to elucidate the microbial ecology and geochemistry of salt lakes in unprecedented detail. It will open new pathways to unravel how ....Molecular fossils, environmental genomics and the natural history of an Australian salt lake. Increasing salinity of lakes is a critical problem for sustainable water supply in Australia. To comprehend the consequences of human-induced salinization, it is crucial to understand salt lakes at their most fundamental level. This project develops pioneering technologies to elucidate the microbial ecology and geochemistry of salt lakes in unprecedented detail. It will open new pathways to unravel how microbial ecosystems adapt to increasing salinization, and how they reacted to climate fluctuations in the past. Students will gain multidisciplinary skills in environmental genomics, proteomics and geochemistry, a unique combination that will become decisive for understanding and preserving ecosystems on our continent.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of proxy uptake in biominerals. This project plans to combine nano-analytical and aquaculture methods to develop new models that improve the reliability of paleoclimate reconstructions. The compositions of shells and skeletal materials of marine invertebrates are essential archives for quantifying temperatures and environmental conditions before modern climate records began. However, their reliability relies on understanding their formation. Emerging knowledge from material sciences i ....Mechanisms of proxy uptake in biominerals. This project plans to combine nano-analytical and aquaculture methods to develop new models that improve the reliability of paleoclimate reconstructions. The compositions of shells and skeletal materials of marine invertebrates are essential archives for quantifying temperatures and environmental conditions before modern climate records began. However, their reliability relies on understanding their formation. Emerging knowledge from material sciences indicates that these biocarbonates form via transient precursors rather than direct precipitation from seawater, profoundly affecting their interpretation. This project plans to transfer this new understanding to the earth sciences using nanoscale analytical methods including in vitro geochemical partitioning experiments. This would enable realistic models for geochemical proxy behaviour to be developed, significantly improving paleoclimate interpretations and assessments of ocean acidification effects on marine calcifiers.Read moreRead less
Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. This project aims to develop and test models to evaluate past tectonic processes and configurations in South-east Australia, using both new and existing geological, geophysical and isotopic data. Over the past 550 million years, plate tectonic processes have formed metal-rich mineral deposits in South-east Australia. The project will identify areas of ....Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. Ore deposits and tectonic evolution of the Lachlan Orogen, SE Australia. This project aims to develop and test models to evaluate past tectonic processes and configurations in South-east Australia, using both new and existing geological, geophysical and isotopic data. Over the past 550 million years, plate tectonic processes have formed metal-rich mineral deposits in South-east Australia. The project will identify areas of high potential for economically valuable ore deposits, enabling more efficient prioritisation of mineral exploration efforts. This is expected to increase the probability of significant ore deposit discoveries leading to national economic benefit.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668345
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,700.00
Summary
A highly sensitive mass spectrometer for trace analysis of biomarker molecules to study changes in recent and ancient environments. Maintaining the quality of water and soil is a critically important issue for Australia's economic and social development. To be able to predict and plan the future of our natural assets, it is critical to understand their ecological past and their state before and after European settlement. We will utilize the new instrument to develop and apply innovative technolo ....A highly sensitive mass spectrometer for trace analysis of biomarker molecules to study changes in recent and ancient environments. Maintaining the quality of water and soil is a critically important issue for Australia's economic and social development. To be able to predict and plan the future of our natural assets, it is critical to understand their ecological past and their state before and after European settlement. We will utilize the new instrument to develop and apply innovative technologies providing Australia with new knowledge about the causes and effects of toxic cyanobacterial blooms, eutrophication, and contamination of reservoirs by bush-fires. The new facility will also supply advanced oil fingerprinting techniques to the petroleum industry minimizing exploration risk and increasing the chance of the discovery of new oil deposits.Read moreRead less
Role of water in earth and planetary evolution. This project aims to understand the role of water in the building of our solar system, Mars and Earth. Surprisingly little is known about key issues surrounding the origin of water and its subsequent recycling on Earth. This project will use new techniques for measuring low abundances of water along with oxygen isotopes, to measure water abundances and oxygen isotopes in meteorites and terrestrial rocks to establish how water was delivered to Earth ....Role of water in earth and planetary evolution. This project aims to understand the role of water in the building of our solar system, Mars and Earth. Surprisingly little is known about key issues surrounding the origin of water and its subsequent recycling on Earth. This project will use new techniques for measuring low abundances of water along with oxygen isotopes, to measure water abundances and oxygen isotopes in meteorites and terrestrial rocks to establish how water was delivered to Earth and to understand how water is geologically recycled. This is expected to have direct bearing on where and how Earth's water originated, how water is retained in mantle and crustal minerals and it will have broad implications for understanding volcanic hazards and formation of ore deposits. This will lead to a new capability for combined water and oxygen isotope analysis in Australian geoscience leading to technological development and commercialisation of instrumentation.Read moreRead less
Determining fossilisation processes of a rare iron-rich Lagerstätte. Most fossil sites only preserve resistant elements such as bones and teeth, leading to questions about how soft animals and structures have evolved over time. The recent discovery of a fossil deposit in New South Wales appears to demonstrate a new set of conditions for the preservation of soft tissues. This project aims to constrain the age of and assess the fossilisation processes that produced this unique fossil site. We will ....Determining fossilisation processes of a rare iron-rich Lagerstätte. Most fossil sites only preserve resistant elements such as bones and teeth, leading to questions about how soft animals and structures have evolved over time. The recent discovery of a fossil deposit in New South Wales appears to demonstrate a new set of conditions for the preservation of soft tissues. This project aims to constrain the age of and assess the fossilisation processes that produced this unique fossil site. We will use an integrative approach to reconstruct the formation of this Lagerstätte. The work will provide significant advances in our understanding of the process of fossilisation and guide the discovery of other exceptionally-well preserved fossil deposits, critical in reconstructing the biological history of Australia.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC230100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Critical Resources for the Future. The proposed ARC Training Centre in Critical Resources aims to train the next generation of geoscientists needed to enable resourcing of the transition to a high-tech, clean energy society. Training of PhD students and postdoctoral scientists will primarily focus on bridging the gap between mineral systems science, mineral exploration protocols and ore processing/metallurgical extraction. This will provide geoscientists with an essential ....ARC Training Centre in Critical Resources for the Future. The proposed ARC Training Centre in Critical Resources aims to train the next generation of geoscientists needed to enable resourcing of the transition to a high-tech, clean energy society. Training of PhD students and postdoctoral scientists will primarily focus on bridging the gap between mineral systems science, mineral exploration protocols and ore processing/metallurgical extraction. This will provide geoscientists with an essential understanding of the whole value chain of the critical resources of the future.
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Carbon dioxide sequestration more than 3.7 billion years ago and the oldest climate cycles. More than 3.7 billion years ago atmospheric greenhouse CO2 was sequestered into limestone sedimentary rocks deposited in ice-free oceans. Why then, with the 30-25 per cent cooler sun in those times, was our earth not frozen over? Solving this oldest climate problem, will give the deepest-time perspective to the earth's changing climate feedback loops.